1. Technical Field
The technology disclosed herein relates to a lens barrel that supports an optical system.
2. Background Information
There are known lens barrels that support an optical system with which the focal distance can be varied. For example, the lens barrel disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 2007-219304 comprises a first moving cam ring in which a cam groove is formed, and a first group lens barrel that supports a first lens group. The first group lens barrel has a follower pin that engages in the cam groove. With this lens barrel, the first moving cam ring and the first group lens barrel allow the first lens group to be moved in the optical axis direction with respect to the first moving cam ring.
With this type of lens barrel, a barrier unit is fixed on the subject side of a support frame. For example, the barrier unit is fixed to the support frame by fixing members.
If the support frame and another frame are disposed close together in order to make the product more compact, there is the risk that the fixed portions between the barrier unit and the support frame will interfere with the other frame. If an attempt is made to prevent this interference, the other frame has to be stopped at a position where it will not interfere with the above-mentioned fixed portions when the two frames (the support frame and the other frame) are moved relatively in the optical axis direction. In this case, it is difficult to reduce the minimum combined length of the two frames in the optical axis direction. Specifically, this hampers efforts at making the lens barrel more compact.
It is an object of the technology disclosed herein to provide a lens barrel that can be made more compact.